Legislature unlikely to lift tuition cap

Published: Monday, February 18, 2013 at 8:44 a.m.

Last Modified: Monday, February 18, 2013 at 8:44 a.m.

In the face of continually shrinking budgets, state university officials are calling for the Legislature to make students pay for every hour of tuition they take. But some legislators say the proposal is unlikely to pass because lawmakers are loathe to raise tuition any more.

At a Board of Regents meeting last month, Commissioner of Higher Education Jim Purcell proposed many different ways of raising tuition, including eliminating the 12-hour tuition cap now in place at universities statewide.

Currently, students pay a certain amount for every credit hour they take, up to 12 hours. Any student who takes more than 12 hours is considered "full-time" and only pays the 12-hour tuition.

In previous years, some lawmakers have tried to help universities struggling with budget cuts by raising or eliminating that cap, causing students to pay for every credit hour they take.

Last year, Rep. Hollis Downs, R-Ruston, proposed increasing the cap from 12 hours to 15 hours. That bill would have cost Nicholls students taking 15 hours about $400 more per semester and would have netted Nicholls an estimated $2.9 million.

Larry Howell, Nicholls' executive vice president, said the current system causes problems for universities. Though students aren't paying extra money, the university still has to pay teachers, maintenance and other costs for running the classes.

"We are giving away about one in five classes," Howell said. "That places a difficult financial burden on us."

While university leaders say a bill to remove the cap would be good for universities, it would have to pass a legislature traditionally skittish about raising tuition.

Last year, for example, Downs pulled his bill after watching other proposals to increase tuition or fees fail.

Rep. Dee Richard, a Thibodaux independent and a member of the House Education Committee, said he thinks the odds of such a bill passing this year are slim as well.

<p>In the face of continually shrinking budgets, state university officials are calling for the Legislature to make students pay for every hour of tuition they take. But some legislators say the proposal is unlikely to pass because lawmakers are loathe to raise tuition any more.</p><p>At a Board of Regents meeting last month, Commissioner of Higher Education Jim Purcell proposed many different ways of raising tuition, including eliminating the 12-hour tuition cap now in place at universities statewide.</p><p>Currently, students pay a certain amount for every credit hour they take, up to 12 hours. Any student who takes more than 12 hours is considered "full-time" and only pays the 12-hour tuition.</p><p>In previous years, some lawmakers have tried to help universities struggling with budget cuts by raising or eliminating that cap, causing students to pay for every credit hour they take.</p><p>Last year, Rep. Hollis Downs, R-Ruston, proposed increasing the cap from 12 hours to 15 hours. That bill would have cost Nicholls students taking 15 hours about $400 more per semester and would have netted Nicholls an estimated $2.9 million. </p><p>Larry Howell, Nicholls' executive vice president, said the current system causes problems for universities. Though students aren't paying extra money, the university still has to pay teachers, maintenance and other costs for running the classes.</p><p>"We are giving away about one in five classes," Howell said. "That places a difficult financial burden on us." </p><p>While university leaders say a bill to remove the cap would be good for universities, it would have to pass a legislature traditionally skittish about raising tuition.</p><p>Last year, for example, Downs pulled his bill after watching other proposals to increase tuition or fees fail.</p><p>Rep. Dee Richard, a Thibodaux independent and a member of the House Education Committee, said he thinks the odds of such a bill passing this year are slim as well.</p><p>"I've heard it's being tossed around, but I'm not going to propose it," Richard said. "We're seeing now that the Legislature isn't going to raise tuition anytime soon."</p><p>Richard said Purcell asked his committee for other kinds of tuition increases and got a cold response.</p><p>"I think a majority of people on the committee pretty much told him that it wasn't going to happen," he said.</p><p>Richard said he has supported bills to change the "full-time" cap before, but his enthusiasm has been dimmed by years of tuition increases.</p><p>"I'm not necessarily against it," Richard said. "But I'm tired of raising tuition because we know it just allows the (Jindal) administration to pull funding and use it for other things."</p><p>Staff Writer Matthew Albright can be reached at 448-7635 or at matthew.albright@dailycomet.com.</p>